The first of the two major pre-season polls, the one published by USA Today in the name of college football coaches, was released Monday afternoon. If the College Football Playoff were today, Clemson would be in along with Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia. Those four compose the top four spots with Notre Dame completing the top five.
Filling positions six through ten are Michigan, Texas A&M, Utah, Oklahoma and Baylor. NC State is 13th, Pittsburgh 16th, Miami 17th, Wake Forest 19th, Kentucky 21st, Arkansas 23rd and Ole Miss 24th. There are six SEC teams and five ACC teams in the top 25.
USC will face three top ten teams this season (Georgia, Clemson, Texas A&M), and two others in the top 25 (Kentucky, Arkansas). Clemson will play one top ten team (Notre Dame) and three others in the top 25 (NC State, Miami, Wake Forest).
USC Today Coaches Pre-Season Poll (66 coaches voted)
1 Alabama
2 Ohio State
3 Georgia
4 Clemson
5 Notre Dame
6 Michigan
7 Texas
8 Utah
9 Oklahoma
10 Baylor
11 Oklahoma State
12 Oregon
13 NC State
14 Michigan State
15 Southern California
16 Pittsburgh
17 Miami
18 Texas
19 Wake Forest
20 Wisconsin
21 Kentucky
22 Cincinnati
23 Arkansas
24 Mississippi
25 Houston
